One of my favorite things to do when dazing off (in my spare time) is to think about fake mon. Ever since I got into 4th gen competitive battling, I have been accumulating ideas for this region called "Iwaha." As most users know, all the regions in the pokemon games are based off of areas in Japan. "Iwaha" is not, but based on Hawaii (Iwaha is the Japanese spelling for Hawaii, Hawai, spelled backwards). Since Japanese and Hawaiian words actually have similar sounds, I thought of the cheesy idea to just name all the islands and cities in the region the names of Hawaiian places, backwards. "Ahola" is "Aloha" backwards (Aloha means "hello" in Hawaiian).​

A lot of these are still rough sketches/concept art so please forgive. :P​

I'll try to be more creative that that from here.​

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Divergent Evolution​

One of my ideas for the region was to include a concept of Evolution more similar to how evolution actually works. Iwaha is an island region separated by thousands of miles of ocean. Needless to say, the only way pokemon could arrive there would be by flying or swimming, which limits the number and types of pokemon that could potentially arrive there. If your name is "Sandshrew," good luck.​

In the real Hawaiian islands, few species that did arrive, evolved into hundreds and thousands in order to fill open niches. I thought to simply bring this idea back by making what I call "Divergent Evolution Groups."​

Divergent Evolution Group: Pidgey​

Pidgey had the honor of being one of the few pokemon I had the wind blow from far away to reach Iwaha, and start its own Divergent Evolution Group. The concept is based off of the Honeycreeper group of birds. The idea being hundreds of species of birds evolving from 1 or 2 original finch-like species. Pidgey is my Finch-like species. I also put on the stipulation that pokemon from the same Divergent Evolution Pool would all have the same Base Stat Total, meaning all these pokemon would have the same BSTs as Pidgeot on final evolution.​

So yeah, quite a bit to work with when adding in Pidgeot's normal movepool, and being able to mix and match with different typings. Now, onto the fully evolved pokemon.​

Zorogeot​

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Steel / Flying
Abilities 1: Rock Head
Ability 2: Technician​

Base Stats:
HP: 75
ATK: 115
DEF: 115
sp.A: 20
Sp.D: 53
Speed: 91​

Zorogeot was the first Iwipo Evolution concept I put together, must have been at least 3 years ago. For pidgey's family members, I tried to pick types that worked well with flying (and the flavor of being honey creepers, which is why I wrote out water). Steel is a proven winner. Still, I wanted it to be different from Skarmory, a more offensive pokemon. Something of a cross between Lucario and Skarmory if you will, and this is what I got.​

Some may have noticed that the name/design nods at Zoro from One Piece. :P​

Of course I left a lot of other potential fun. You could try roost of course, and there are the dark moves Sucker Punch and Pursuit from Kuroppo's family. Technician has potential with Aerial Ace, Pursuit and Bullet Punch in the mix but . . . well, Rock Head Brave Bird/Flare Blitz seems overall better.​

In detail: This ability grants immunity to all Rock attacks and Stealth Rock as well as all Fire attacks. It also grants immunity to sand, since Sand Storm is a Rock Attack.​

In flavor: I'll try to write pokedex entries eventually, but Iwipo is a pokemon born and living on the volcanic terrains of Iwaha. It is said to be a messenger of the volcano goddess, and is thus granted protection by her from those elements she controls-- fire and rock.​

Base Stats:
HP: 79
ATK: 20
DEF: 135
Sp.A: 105
sp.D: 65
Speed: 65​

Concept: Going more into the concept design, the pokemon is based off of the real life bird Iʻiwi, which, along side it's main source of food the lelehua flower, thrive on forest grown over craggy volcanic areas. The goddess Pele, the volcano goddess, is one of the most powerful in Hawaiian mythology, and the rocks of Hawaii are considered her children (and you will incur her wrath and be cursed should you take lava from Hawaii). I combined the real life bird with the myth to give it its special ability. It should also be noted that the feathers of both the I'iwi in real life and Iwijeot in my made up Iwaha, were prized in ancient times by natives who used the feathers to make the cloaks of kings. Red was considered the color of royalty. I think this ties more flavor to Iwijeot's devine place and ability.​

Ironically, if you replace Fire/Flying's 4x Rock Weakness with a Rock immunity, it becomes an arguably better typing for a physical wall than Skarmory's Steel/Flying. In fact, there were a lot of parallels between Iwijeot and Skarmory, so I decided to give it similar base stats (though special instead of physical).​

With such awesome resistances, Iwijeot would be able to switch into a wide range of physical attackers with near impunity. Infernape? Lucario? Scizor? Metagross? Tyranitar? Machamp? Breloom? Heracross? lol All useless in the face of this little birdie.​

That's not the end of this brilliant typing. Like Skarmory, you only have 2 weaknesses, both predominantly special. Unlike Skarmory, you are not trapped by Magnezone (or anything outside Wobb) so feel free to switch to Blissey at will. ​

Speaking of switching, Iwijeot here is immune to Stealth Rock, Spikes, Toxic Spikes, Sand and Burn, so it is resilient to passive damage to the point that it almost has Magic Guard (damn toxic and leech seed lol).​

Jijinjeot​

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Ground / Flying
Ability: Arena Trap​

Base Stats:
HP: 130
ATK: 15
DEF: 102
sp.A: 15
sp.D: 102
Speed: 105​

You getting the feeling that these pokemon are getting more and more broken? Yeah well . . . leave me alone! *runs* They have only 469 bst right?? They can't be uberz!!!​

Anyway, conceptually, I designed a bird who had lost flight, but instead use a huge wingspan to send tremors into the ground, shifting the ground to trap insects within its territory to capture. Hence the ability "Arena Trap." Also, he's brown to disguise himself from above as he moves across the ground, with the blue belly used to reveal itself to other Jijinjeot for mating. Males with better blue, winz.​

Arena trap with 469 bst wouldn't be so broken-- if not for the fact that I gave it monstrous defenses and speed, along with Spikes/SR/Rapid Spin in the Divergent Family movepool.​

My intent was always to make the 8th Gym Leader of Iwaha a user exclusively of Pidgey's Divergent Evolution line (5 divergent line Evos + Pidgeot). In the story line, Satoshi (Ash) was supposed to visit Iwaha, and actually meet the 8th Gym Gym Leader shortly after arriving. Part of the Gym Leader's character design was that he is the mail man for the Pokemon League. This is important because it establishes both the small size of the island chain, and the closeness of the Iwaha community (the strongest Gym Leader delivers them all mail, lol). ​

After visiting the professor in Iwaha, Satoshi would meet and challenge the 8th Gym leader to a friendly match-- where he promptly gets his ass handed to him. It is a wake up call to Satoshi to become at least a bit more competitive-minded. As such, I wanted 8th Gym Leader to be of a similar age as Ash to be a rival character of sorts.​

He's friendly out-going, always got a smile on his face and he's the kind of guy who always looks ready to hop on a bird and take off or jump in the ocean for a quick cool-off. Hence the board shorts and slippers. :P​

Making a Champion​

After I finished putting my ideas together about the Pidgey evolutions (and I still haven't done art for the last two), my next idea was to start designing a champion. Sad, but this is just how my mind works-- designing the best, first. I still haven't gotten my ideas together about the character of the champion himself, but I'm thinking older, guy (because there's no replacing Cynthia), and his element will be one of the strongest of all-- water.​

We had Lance, we had Steve, but Wallace fails when it comes to showing the power of the last of the great 3 types. So, I set out to make a team that would be insanely powerful, bordering completely broken. The motto-- the same Misty told you all those years ago:​

"All out offense with water pokemon."​

Kujiryuu​

Kujiryuu is actually a pokemon I had ideas for even before starting to work on the champion. It all began with the question: "What type combination and ability would produce the ultimate Choice Specs user?"​

When considering Choice pokemon, the most important facets are:
-Terrific Neutral STAB
-Near-Perfect Neutral Coverage
-Power
-Speed
-Resilience to passive damage (to allow for more switches)
-Resistances (to allow for more switches)
-Resilience against status (good for any offensive pokemon)​

As a pseudo-legendary meant to be abused by the champion, and also considering it was made with the express purpose of creating Specs perfection, I fully expected it to be wayy over-powered, so might well be thorough.​

With this typing and ability, you have immunity to SR, spikes, toxic spikes, sand, hail, leech seed, poison, burn and thunder wave. That's some resilience.​

You also get immunity to electric and resistance to fire, rock, steel and poison, with only 1 weakness. Well, you all know about Swampert's terrific typing.​

Being a whale, it got access to Water Spout, arguably the greatest choice move ever made. There is no other move in the game that has its combined base power and coverage-- along with power that does not fall unless the opponent damages you, a task that will be difficult against Kujiryuu's immunity to passive damage and 110 base speed. Specs Water Spout here does 39.6% - 46.8% to Bold Bliss, 59.4% - 69.9% in the rail (which one of Kujiryuu's team mates will be aiming to setup). Crocune actually takes more-- 40.1% - 47.3%, or 59.9% - 70.5% in rain.​

Earth Power is secondary STAB and consistent power all in one. As an example of power, it does 51% minimum to Vaporeon. While Ground coverage is questionable on a choice pokemon, immunity to Thunder Wave is certainly worth it.​

Plus, Ice Beam is always there as a go-to move with awesome coverage that supports both STABs.​

Hydro Pump fills out as consistent power for the stronger Water STAB should Water Spout get crippled. With the dependable Earth Power in the wings, I went with HP over Surf.​

...I never thought of Divergent evolution... I really do like the idea. Kinda like shellos! What about Co-Evolution, where two pokemon evolve together to help each other? But I really love the idea of Divergent Evolution.

Needless to say you are awesome. I epecially like the two lakeside fall scenes you made... I have never seen any art like that, and it's really unique and gives off a vibrant energy that I can't quite put my finger on...

And the divergent evolution group thing seems really interesting, and you have a knack for designing creatures, and the artwork is, once again, fantastic. I especially love the painting of all the poppo together

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you know someone is insanely creative when they are both a fantastic artist and can come up with the idea of divergent evolutions, whole other regions, and storylines to go with those regions. keep it up, 5 stars for sure! =)